MEMBAKUT, Sabah: The Kimanis Petroleum Training Centre, operated by Petronas, here will offer career opportunities for Sabahans in the state’s oil and gas sector.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman said the training centre can cater for 50 trainees at any one time and that the involvement of Sabahans was crucial in developing the oil and gas sector, especially the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal (SOGT) in Kimanis which would be fully operational in 2013.

“Rapid development of Sabah’s oil and gas sector can only be ensured if it is supported by skilled and knowledge workforce.

“As such, training programmes conducted at the centre would serve to meet the human capital requirements of this industry,” he said when officiating the training centre’s temporary campus here yesterday.

The text of his speech was read on his behalf, by Anifah’s political secretary Datuk Norhaidi Che Dan.

Anifah, who is also Kimanis Member of Parliament, said Sabahans must realise that the opportunities provided by Petronas should be used wisely to develop their own state and simultaneously improve their socio-economic standing.

He said more than 4,000 employees were required to operate the SOGT which was expected to have a positive impact on the economic well-being of the community.

Meanwhile, Vice-President Petronas Petroleum Management Ramlan A Malek said Petronas was already providing training to Sabah youths in the oil and gas sector while waiting for the permanent campus to be ready in 2013.

A total of 25 youths have become the first batch of trainees to undergo a two-year Industry Control and Instrumentation programme at the training centre since June.
— Bernama